Namibia: International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2020, Namibia's international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) fell 54.5% on 2019 (from US$11 million to US$5 million).

Across the 10 yearly changes before that (2010 to 2019), the average change was +65.4% and a typical year strayed about 185% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 550% in 2018 and the biggest yearly fall was 80% in 2017. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2011 to 2020 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains less than 1% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2020, Namibia had the 107th highest value of the 123 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Namibia in the 2020 ranking

• Timor-Leste — 105th of 123: US$7 million
• North Macedonia — 106th of 123: US$6 million
• Mozambique — 107th of 123: US$5 million
• Tonga — 109th of 123: US$5 million
• Aruba — 110th of 123: US$4 million
• Nepal — 111th of 123: US$4 million

What this measures

International tourism expenditures for passenger transport items are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries for all services provided during international transportation by nonresident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a gap-filled total.

All 12 values

International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) in nearby economies

• Angola — US$76 million (2020)
• Benin — US$36 million (2019)
• Botswana — US$2.8 million (2020)
• Burkina Faso — US$70.6 million (2019)
• Cabo Verde — US$7 million (2020)
• Cameroon — US$144 million (2020)
• Comoros — US$12 million (2020)
• Congo, Rep. — US$206 million (2016)

More private sector & trade data for Namibia

• Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — 102.45% (2025)
• Import unit value index (2015 = 100) — 138 (2025)
• Merchandise imports (current US$) — US$8.43 billion (2025)
• Export unit value index (2015 = 100) — 152.1 (2025)
• Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$7.02 billion (2025)
• Insurance and financial services (% of commercial service imports) — 1.88% (2024)
• Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service imports) — 80.23% (2024)
• Commercial service imports (current US$) — US$2.44 billion (2024)
• Transport services (% of commercial service imports) — 13.22% (2024)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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Questions people ask

What is Namibia's international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$)?

US$5 million in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2009?

It is unchanged at from US$5 million in 2009. The highest value was US$17 million in 2014 and the lowest US$2 million in 2017.

How does Namibia rank?

107th highest of 123 economies with data for 2020.

Is the latest change in international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) unusual for Namibia?

In 2020, Namibia's international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$) fell 54.5% on 2019 (from US$11 million to US$5 million). Across the 10 yearly changes before that (2010 to 2019), the average change was +65.4% and a typical year strayed about 185% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator ST.INT.TRNX.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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